Crisp and buttery on the outside, fluffy on the inside, this easy waffle recipe is perfection. Included are loads of options for sweet or savory waffles, plus all the toppings you could ever desire.
I like sweet waffles, savory waffles, snack waffles (handheld Ham and Cheese Waffles, I’m looking at you). If you can waffle it, I will probably love it.
Homemade Waffles
Want to know a secret? I almost never order waffles at a restaurant. That’s how picky I am about my waffles.
I know exactly how I like my waffles and restaurant waffles are never as good as the homemade waffles from my own kitchen.
I take my waffle enthusiasm too seriously to waste a meal on waffles that are anything less than spectacular. Rest assured, I’d never share a waffle recipe with you that I didn’t absolutely adore. My standards are just too high.
Easy Waffles
Considering how deep my love for waffles runs, it’s high time I shared with you my ultimate list of best waffle recipes.
I’ve been making waffles a long time and I’ve discovered that, while everyone has their own preferences, there are a few things that all great waffles have in common.
The ultimate waffle recipe is crispy on the outside (but never oily or greasy!) with a soft fluffy interior. The best waffles won’t fall apart when you lift them from the iron, they won’t bend in half, and they also won’t get tough and dense as they cool.
Rest assured that when I say this is the best waffle recipe ever, I don’t make that claim lightly. Part of the reason this recipe is the best is simply because it’s as easy as can be.
These are a few of my all-time favorite waffle recipes, ranging from savory to sweet and everything in between.
Waffle Ideas
Want the best ever classic Homemade Waffles Recipe? Scroll straight to the bottom of this post and print the recipe.
This is our go-to recipe and it’s also the base for countless sweet and savory waffle combinations here on the website. This recipe is from my Weekday Lunches & Breakfasts Cookbook and it’s a huge favorite with everyone who tries it.
A lightly sweet waffle topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with maple syrup makes any morning beautiful. When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a Whole Wheat Waffle covered in your favorite waffle toppings.
Few things make me smile like a plate of Blueberry Waffles. My blueberry waffle recipe features what I think is the exact right ratio of berries to batter, and never disappoints.
Waffles from Scratch
You’ll need the following ingredients to make perfect waffles every time:
- all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
- baking powder
- sugar
- milk
- eggs
- vanilla extract
Waffle Recipe
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the milk and the eggs. Whisk to combine. (I LOVE my dough whisk for making pancakes and waffles!)
- Pour the melted butter and the vanilla into the batter and stir until mostly smooth. Take care not to over-stir the batter. Let the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes while heating the waffle iron.
- Heat the waffle maker. (This is my favorite Belgian waffle maker!) Pour batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. Serve warm or let cool completely before storing.
If you’re lucky enough to have leftover waffles, completely cooled waffles may be frozen in zipclose bags. Reheat from frozen in the toaster, microwave, or on a rack in the oven.
Gluten Free Waffles
Light and fluffy waffles that are crisp on the outside and tender inside are a year-round favorite in our house. My family has been making waffles along with my grandma’s waffle sauce since long before I was born. I was happy to discover that both the waffles and the sauce freeze beautifully, making this a dream of a make-ahead breakfast.
The added starches in the gluten-free version of this recipe make them extra crispy on the outside. I might be guilty of loving the gluten-free recipe even more than the original, but truly they are both delicious.
Savory Waffles
While I love a sweet waffle, I sometimes think savory waffles don’t get nearly the amount of attention they deserve. Whether I’m serving them for breakfast, brunch or dinner, they always disappear almost as fast as I can get them on the table.
Cheddar Bacon Green Chile Waffles are the ultimate cheesy waffle with southwestern flavors. The green chiles add a little spice to the savory, cheesy waffle batter with pieces of bacon providing smokiness and even more flavor.
Speaking of southwestern flavors, Cornbread Waffles topped with chili and cheese are simply divine. We love this meal anytime of day and it’s become one of our favorite ways to enjoy homemade chili!
Cheddar Chive Waffles are yet another “must try” waffle on my list of best waffle recipes. Served with a fried egg and sausage gravy, they’re a hearty and delicious comfort food meal.
A few years ago I started making Pumpkin Spice Waffles inspired by the pumpkin muffins my family has loved for years. They’re lightly spiced and sweet and perfect served with a hot cup of coffee, especially on a cool crisp autumn morning (or anytime you need to be transported to fall!).
If you like banana bread as much as the members of my household, then Banana Waffles are for you. We enjoy them on their own or topped with slices of fresh bananas, chopped nuts, and maple syrup.
Some mornings you can’t choose between homemade waffles and homemade donuts, and I believe you shouldn’t have to. Enter Maple Glazed Doughnut Waffles. They’re the ideal sweet indulgence for breakfast (or any time of day).
Whole Wheat Zucchini Waffles , Buckwheat Waffles and Gluten Free Buttermilk Waffles are even more homemade waffle recipes I enjoy on the sweeter side.
Waffle Toppings
One of the joys of making waffles is the many different ways that you can top these waffles! The same waffle recipe may taste entirely different depending on what you choose to top them with and that, for me, is part of the fun.
I’ve been making my grandmother’s Homemade Waffle Sauce for years and it’ll always have a special place in my heart (and in my kitchen). This sauce is delicious on a waffle on its own or alongside fruit and nuts.
Have you tried my Kahlua Cream Sauce yet? I first made it to pour over a Challah Bread Pudding and immediately knew it would also be perfect on waffles.
Buttermilk Syrup, Brown Sugar Butter Syrup , Strawberry Simple Syrup, and Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream are more topping ideas that I love on my waffles.
I also love just about any variation of fresh sliced fruit and chopped walnuts or pecans on top of my waffles!
On savory waffles, I love toppings like chili, cheese, sour cream, and even guacamole. A fried egg or a helping of warm savory sausage gravy is a welcome sight served next to a stack of savory waffles.
Can’t get enough waffle recipe ideas? Strawberry Shortcake Waffles with Maple Whipped Cream from Well Plated and these Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed Almond Crusted Waffles by The Noshery are what breakfast dreams are made of.
For a classic sweet side, toss together this almost effortless Rainbow Fruit Salad.
Kitchen Tip: I LOVE my double Belgian waffle iron for making loads of waffles in no time at all!
Perfect Every Time Homemade Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1⅔ cups milk
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- 1⅓ cups brown rice flour
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch
- ¼ cup potato starch
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the milk and the eggs. Whisk to combine. (I LOVE my dough whisk for making pancakes and waffles!)
- Pour the melted butter and the vanilla into the batter and stir until mostly smooth. Take care not to over-stir the batter. Let the batter rest for at least 10-15 minutes while heating the waffle iron.
- Heat the waffle iron. (This is my favorite waffle iron!) Pour batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. Serve warm or let cool completely before storing.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 8/9/19 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/27/23}
Ari Wise says
yum
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like them, Ari!
Hope says
Hello,
In the waffle recipe is saying I need 1 and 2/3 cups
Of milk and also 1 and 1/2 tbsp of sugar?
My apologies. I want to make sure I interpreting the
recipe correctly.
Mary Younkin says
The recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 tablespoons baking powder along with 1 and 2/3 cups of milk. I hope that helps!
Wendy says
Hello, This is definitely a FIVE STAR RECIPE! These are the best waffles I have ever had anywhere! Everyone that I have made them for LOVES them! Thank-you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
Mary Younkin says
You are welcome, Wendy.
Rebekah Land says
Good waffles but a little thick. I think I will add more milk or butter for a lighter waffles.
Mary Younkin says
That should work well, Rebekah.
Ashleigh Forsythe says
This made barley 2 waffles. Disappointing.
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Ashleigh. It sounds like you might have accidentally adjusted the recipe servings slider bar in the recipe card. Next to the word “Servings: ” underneath the header, there should be an adjustable slider. If you toggle the number of waffles, it will adjust the measurements accordingly.
Teresa White says
I like peanut butter and honey on mine.
Mary Younkin says
Me too, Teresa.
Amy Lupo says
Excellent, easy waffle recipe!!! I didn’t have vanilla extract, so I used almond extract and that works well too! The batter was so fluffy, even before I added the peaked egg whites.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you liked them, Amy.
Jessica Martello says
So fluffy and perfect. The best waffle recipe I’ve used. I put blueberry goat cheese and syrup on top. Chef’s kiss!
Mary Younkin says
I bet that was amazing, Jessica.
Michelle says
Must have done something wrong… Waffles were tasteless and tough. Not my favorite recipe.
Mary Younkin says
Did you by chance substitute an ingredient or change a quantity? Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong, Michelle.
Sonia says
Made this today! Turned out great! Thank u
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you are enjoying the waffles, Sonia.
Teresa Carter says
I tried the waffle recipe and they were very dense and heavy. I know I followed the recipe exactly!
Mary Younkin says
Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong, Teresa. The waffles shouldn’t have been heavy or dense at all.
Kristen says
It could be the amount of baking powder and/or that its expired. The tablespoon measurement sounded like a lot to me so I switched it to teaspoon. They came out crispy and fluffy. Give it another go with the smaller measurements. 😊
David says
I have been using this recipe for a while and yhey come out light and fluffy as adverised and much better than mixes, to be honest. We like them topped with fresh fruit for a breakfast treat.
Mary Younkin says
Homemade always tastes best, David. I’m glad you’re enjoying them.
Phoebe says
Is there an ingredients list in grams or weight?
Mary Younkin says
That is not something that I provide, Phoebe. However, you can copy and paste the ingredient list into a conversion calculator.
Becca says
These waffles are delicious! I ran out of waffle/pancake mix, and my picky-eater son only wanted waffles for breakfast. I’m so glad I stumbled across this recipe. They tasted great, didn’t stick and split apart in the waffle maker (an issue I’ve been having), and both my son and I liked them. Thank you!!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed them, Becca.
Rhonda Dillon says
Recipe is perfect even with almond milk instead of whole milk
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the waffles, Rhonda.
Gina says
Oh my goodness, I have been looking for a waffle recipe everyone can agree on in our house. This is a unanimous 5 star waffle. Everyone ate a little differently, youngest with a little dark chocolate spread and others with various fruit toppings. Honestly this waffle needs no extras as it came out light with just a slight crisp. Of course easy to vary with length of time in waffle maker. Thank you Barefeet in the kitchen!
Mary Younkin says
What a great review, Gina! I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the waffles.
Stephanie says
These were delicious! I did use buttermilk instead because I happened to have some on hand. I am saving this recipe in my favorites!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you love the waffles, Stephanie!
Rachel says
If I have extra batter can I save it in the fridge for a while? I like to make extra so that I can just pour and serve for quick breakfasts before school. Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Rachel. I’m not sure how long it will last in the fridge.
SARA says
If you have extra batter, you could go ahead and make the extra waffles, let them cool, then freeze them. When you want them just pop in the toaster!
Mary Younkin says
That’s exactly what we do, Sara.
Sara says
Hi Rachel,
I often have left over batter, so as others have suggested I sometimes cook it all anyway then heat them in the toaster.
When I can’t be bothered to cook the whole batch, I leave the mixture covered in the mixing bowl in the fridge for the next day, I give it a bit of a beat and see how thin or more usually how thick the mixture is (I use 1/3 cups flax, oats and wholemeal flour and 1 cup A.P flour so it tends to thicken overnight) then just add a bit more milk to get a good consistency and cook fresh waffles, they taste just as good 😁
Sarah says
Super heavy, dense and too hard. Trashed them and made a different recipe…breakfast was super delayed this weekend. 🙁
Mary Younkin says
I can’t even imagine what went wrong, Sarah, but I definitely understand your frustration with a recipe that doesn’t work out. To be honest, I’m guessing that something went wrong when stirring together this recipe, either an ingredient was missed or something was off. Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess. Did you by chance substitute any ingredients?
shannon says
this is pancake batter, you charlatan.
someone says they’re picky about their waffles and i scroll down excitedly to see it’s just bog-standard pancake batter.
I am so sorry your family has to put up with a pretentious idiot who tells their life story in order to convey their idiot instructions for making waffle-shaped pancakes.
I know that won’t get approved but you needed to read it. it’s important to hear about your utter failures as a human being now and then.
(remainder of comment and parts of the above comment have been edited by blog owner due to offensive language and further insults)
Mary Younkin says
Oh Shannon, I think it’s time for someone to take a deep breath and step away from the internet. There isn’t a recipe on earth worthy of this level of anger. The beauty of food blogs and the free-to-you content that we provide is that if something doesn’t appeal to you, with just one little click, you can move on to something else. And for what it’s worth (because this is a FANTASTIC waffle recipe that I do stand behind) pancakes and waffles both contain eggs, flour, milk, and some form of leavening. Pancake and waffle recipes are always quite similar. Waffle batter typically includes a bit more fat than pancake batter – this helps create a crisp exterior. And waffles can also be made with a little bit more sugar as well, to create caramelization on the outside of the waffle. That said, while I’ve failed in many things throughout my life, making truly great waffles and serving a spectacular breakfast? That is surely not one of my failures. If you had actually tried the waffle recipe before passing judgment? You might have had a delicious breakfast too.
Sarah says
Mary – I made these waffles today and they were almost as perfect as your reply to that ridiculous comment. Thank you for both!
Melissa Brown says
What aplomb you’ve shown despite clearly ridiculous trolling! 🙂 I’m excited to try this recipe with my daughter this evening. Thank you for sharing with us all!!!
Melissa Brown says
Update: We halved the recipe and used our mini waffle irons since it was just my daughter and I. They were yummy, perfect in consistency, and cooked up evenly in the small irons. My daughter loved them!
Mary Younkin says
That’s awesome, Melissa! I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Mary Younkin says
Sometimes, you just have to laugh, right?